Apparatus and method for mediating between callers and receivers using mobile phones

ABSTRACT

A mediation center apparatus  1  receives registration as answerers from mobile phones  9  owned by answerers. The mediation center apparatus  1  provides, responding to requests from a mobile phone  10  owned by a questioner, candidate list information of suitable answerers among answerers who are registered in the mediation center apparatus  1 , for the mobile phone  10 . When the mediation center apparatus  1  receives, from the mobile phone  10 , information which instruct a selection of answerers, the mediation center apparatus  1  establishes a circuit connection between the mobile phones  9  owned by the selected answerer and the mobile phone  10  owned by the questioner. A mediation consultancy service is provided by the answerer to the questioner by use of the circuit connection.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/258,985filed on Oct. 30, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,028, the entire contentof which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for mediatingbetween questioners and answerers in a consultancy service using mobilephones.

2. Description of Related Art

In the conventional art, printed matter, in the form of, for example,information exchange magazines, is used to mediate between questioners,who are persons who have questions, and answerers, who are persons whocan provide answers to questions. In a case where, for example, aninformation exchange magazine is used as a medium by questioners andanswerers, answerers provide to publishers of information exchangemagazines information on a knowledge area (field) about which they canact as answerers, such as a sport(s), skiing, golf, and so on; city areainformation, such as Daikanyama, Ginza, and so on. They also providewith their knowledge area (field) information, contact information to beused by questioners to reach answerers, and which may be in the form ofaddresses, facsimile numbers, telephone numbers, names, and so on. Allof this information is published by the publishers to which it isprovided in information exchange magazines. Questioners who buy theinformation exchange magazines, select answerers who offer informationunder fields relevant to their questions by referring to informationprovided in the magazines; and contact selected answerers by mail,facsimile, telephone, and so on. In this way, questioners and theanswerers are able to communicate with one another.

However, communication mediated through printed matter is subject to anumber of problems. Firstly, the process of purchase of printed matterfollowed by manual selection of answerers referring to information inprinted matter is both time-consuming and complicated. Further, in thecase that, for example, a questioner has an urgent question, forexample, in a case that s/he wishes to know a location of a nearbyrestaurant when already outside, it may not be physically possible forthe questioner to purchase suitable printed matter; or, having purchasedprinted matter, a questioner may not be able to find any relevantinformation on answerers in time.

Further, due to the nature of printed matter, after answerers providetheir information, namely, information on a field about which they canprovide answers, along with information for reaching them, to apublisher of printed matter, it may take a relatively long period oftime for the printed matter to be published. Moreover, there is a riskthat personal information such as addresses, which answerers must makepublic in printed matter as contact information for questioners, may bemisused. Consequently, persons may be dissuaded from publishing contactinformation in information exchange magazines, even though they may havethe knowledge and experience to provide a service as an answerer.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is aimed to provide, as a means to overcomeproblems explained above, a mediation method for consultation and amediation apparatus for the method, which enable questioners to easilyraise questions at any time and in any location, which also enableanswerers to quickly register themselves as answerers withoutcomplicated registration work, and which protect the privacy ofquestioners and answerers.

To overcome the stated problems, in accordance with an aspect of thepresent invention, a mediation apparatus may comprise: a registrationrequest receiving unit, which receives, from mobile phones of answerercandidates, registration requests which contain telephone number dataand answer field data of the answerer candidates, via a mobiletelecommunication network; a storing unit, which stores candidate datawhich contain at least the telephone number data and the answer fielddata; a mediation request receiving unit, which receives, from a mobilephone of a questioner, a mediation request which contains telephonenumber data and question field data of the questioner, via the mobiletelecommunication network; an acquiring unit, which selects, from thecandidate data stored by the storing unit, candidate data which containanswer field data corresponding to the question field data, andacquires, from the selected candidate data, telephone number data ofmobile phones of answerers; and a connection establishing unit, whichestablishes communication circuit connections in the mobiletelecommunication network between mobile phones of the answerers and amobile phone of the questioner, on the basis of the telephone numberdata acquired by the acquiring unit and the telephone number datacontained in the mediation request. This is referred to as the firstembodiment in the present invention.

Preferably, in the configuration of the first embodiment, the acquiringunit may comprise: an extracting unit, which extracts, from thecandidate data stored by the storing unit, one or more items ofcandidate data which contain answer field data corresponding to thequestion field data; a candidate data providing unit, which provides thecandidate data extracted by the extracting unit for a mobile phone ofthe questioner, via the mobile telecommunication network; an appointmentdata receiving unit, which receives, from the mobile phone of thequestioner, appointment data which appoint one or more desiredcandidates from among candidates who are shown in the candidate data,via the mobile telecommunication network; and a telephone numberacquiring unit, which acquires, from the candidate data stored by thestoring unit, telephone number data of mobile phones of the answerers,on the basis of the appointment data. This is referred to as the secondembodiment in the present invention.

Preferably, in the configuration of the first embodiment, theacquisition unit may comprise: an extracting unit, which extracts, fromthe candidate data stored by the storing unit, two or more items ofcandidate data which contain answer field data corresponding to thequestion field data; a condition data receiving unit, which receives,from the mobile phone of the questioner, condition data relating toconditions for dividing said two or more items of candidate dataextracted by the extracting unit into groups, via the mobiletelecommunication network; a guide data sending unit, which divides saidtwo or more items of candidate data into groups on the basis of thecondition data, and sends guide data which display each of the groups atthe mobile phone of the questioner; an appointment data receiving unit,which receives, from the mobile phone of the questioner, appointmentdata which indicate desired groups from among one or more groups shownin the guide data, via the mobile telecommunication network; and, atelephone number acquiring unit, which acquires, from the candidate datastored by the storing unit, telephone number data of mobile phones ofthe answerers, on the basis of the appointment data. This is referred toas the third embodiment in the present invention.

Preferably, in the configuration of first embodiment, the connectionestablishing unit may comprise: a first connecting unit, which sendscalls to mobile phones of the answerers on the basis of the telephonenumber data acquired by the acquiring unit, and establishescommunication circuit connections in the mobile telecommunicationnetwork with mobile phones of the answerers; a second connecting unit,which sends a call to a mobile phone of the questioner on the basis ofthe telephone number data contained in the mediation request, andestablishes a communication circuit connection in the mobiletelecommunication network with the mobile phone of the questioner; and athird connecting unit, which interconnects the communication circuitconnections established by the first connecting unit and thecommunication circuit connection established by the second connectingunit. This is referred to as the fourth embodiment in the presentinvention.

Preferably, in the configuration of the fourth embodiment, the firstconnecting unit may comprise: a re-connecting unit, which, in a casethat two or more items of telephone number data are acquired by theacquiring unit, and that a communication circuit connection establishedon the basis of one item of the telephone number data acquired by theacquiring unit fails, sends a call to a mobile phone on the basis ofanother item of the telephone number data acquired by the acquiringunit, and establishes a communication circuit connection in the mobiletelecommunication network with the mobile phone. This is referred to asthe fifth embodiment in the present invention.

Preferably, in the configuration of the first embodiment, a part or thewhole of the mobile telecommunication network is a packet datacommunication network. This is referred to as the sixth embodiment inthe present invention.

Moreover, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, amediation method may comprise: a registration request receiving step, inwhich registration requests, which contain telephone number data andanswer field data of the answerer candidates, are received from mobilephones of answerer candidates via a mobile telecommunication network; astoring step, in which candidate data, which contain at least thetelephone number data and the answer field data, are stored; a mediationrequest receiving step, in which a mediation request, which containstelephone number data and question field data of a questioner, arereceived from a mobile phone of the questioner via the mobiletelecommunication network; an acquiring step, in which candidate data,which contain answer field data corresponding to the question fielddata, are selected from the candidate data stored in the storing step,and telephone number data of mobile phones of answerers are acquiredfrom the selected candidate data; and a connection establishing step, inwhich communication circuit connections in the mobile telecommunicationnetwork between mobile phones of the answerers and the mobile phone ofthe questioner are established on the basis of the telephone number dataacquired in the acquiring step and the telephone number data containedin the mediation request. This is referred to as the seventh embodimentin the present invention.

Preferably, in the configuration of the seventh embodiment, theacquisition step may comprise: an extracting step, in which one or moreitems of candidate data, which contain answer field data correspondingto the question field data, are extracted from the candidate data storedin the storing step; a candidate data providing step, in which thecandidate data extracted in the extracting step are provided for themobile phone of the questioner via the mobile telecommunication network;an appointment data receiving step, in which appointment data, whichappoint one or more desired candidates from among candidates who areshown in the candidate data, are received from the mobile phone of thequestioner via the mobile telecommunication network; and a telephonenumber acquiring step, in which telephone number data of mobile phonesof the answerers are acquired from the candidate data stored in thestoring step on the basis of the appointment data. This is referred toas the eighth embodiment in the present invention.

Preferably, in the configuration of the seventh embodiment, theacquisition step may comprise: an extracting step, which extracts, fromthe candidate data stored in the storing step, two or more items ofcandidate data which contain answer field data corresponding to thequestion field data; a condition data receiving step, which receives,from the mobile phone of the questioner, condition data relating toconditions for dividing said two or more items of candidate dataextracted in the extracting step into groups, via the mobiletelecommunication network; a guide data sending step, which divides saidtwo or more items of candidate data into groups on the basis of thecondition data, and sends guide data which shows each of the groups tothe mobile phone of the questioner; an appointment data receiving step,which receives, from the mobile phone of the questioner, appointmentdata which appoint desired groups from among one or more groups shown inthe guide data, via the mobile telecommunication network; and atelephone number acquiring step, which acquires, from the candidate datastored in the storing step, telephone number data of mobile phones ofthe answerers, on the basis of the appointment data. This is referred toas the ninth embodiment in the present invention.

Preferably, in the configuration of the seventh embodiment, theconnection establishing step may comprise: a first connecting step, inwhich calls are sent to mobile phones of the answerers on the basis ofthe telephone number data acquired in the acquiring step, andcommunication circuit connections are established in the mobiletelecommunication network with mobile phones of the answerers; a secondconnecting step, in which a call is sent to the mobile phone of thequestioner on the basis of the telephone number data contained in themediation request, and communication circuit connections are establishedin the mobile telecommunication network with the mobile phone of thequestioner; and a third connecting step, in which the communicationcircuit connections established in the first connecting step and thecommunication circuit connection established in the second connectingstep are interconnected. This is referred to as the tenth embodiment inthe present invention.

Preferably, in the configuration of the tenth embodiment, the firstconnecting step may comprise: a re-connecting step, in which, in a casethat two or more data items relating to telephone numbers are acquiredin the acquiring step, and that a communication circuit connection onthe basis of one item of the telephone number data acquired in theacquiring step fails, a call is sent to a mobile phone on the basis ofanother item of the telephone number data acquired in the acquiringstep, and a communication circuit connection is established in themobile telecommunication network with the mobile phone. This is referredto as the eleventh embodiment in the present invention.

Preferably, in the configuration of the seventh embodiment, a part orwhole of the mobile telecommunication network is a packet datacommunication network. This is referred to as the twelfth embodiment inthe present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating general configurations of atelecommunication network and a mediation center apparatus of oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating a configuration of a database andexamples of data stored in the database in one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a sequence chart illustrating operations of an answerer'smobile phone and a mediation center apparatus during an answerer'sinformation registration step in one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating examples of screens shown in ananswerer's mobile phone during a registration, alteration, deletion orinquiry step according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sequence chart illustrating operations of a questioner'smobile phone, a mediation center apparatus and an answerer's mobilephone during a question mediation step in one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C are drawings illustrating examples of screens shownin a questioner's mobile phone during a question mediation step in oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are flowcharts illustrating procedures of telephonecircuit connecting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the present invention will be explained below withreference to figures. The following embodiment is a mere example andshould not be interpreted as limiting the scope of invention; thepresent invention is open to a variety of modifications available withinthe technical scope of the concept of the invention.

A. The Configuration of the Whole System

FIG. 1 shows a general configuration of a system for providing amediation consultancy service by invoking the mediation method of thepresent invention (hereafter, the system will be referred to as“Mediation Consultancy System”). Mediation Consultancy System contains amediation center apparatus 1, a mobile packet communication network 5, amobile telecommunication network 6, a mobile phone 9, and a mobile phone10.

The mobile phone 9 and the mobile phone 10 are able to connect to themobile packet communication network 5, and to receive packetcommunication services provided by the mobile packet communicationnetwork 5. The mobile phone 9 and the mobile phone 10 are also able toconnect to the mobile telecommunication network 6, and to receive mobiletelecommunication services provided by the mobile telecommunicationnetwork 6. For simplicity of explanation, only the mobile phone 9 andthe mobile phone 10 are shown in the figure, although many mobile phonesare able to connect to the mobile packet communication network 5 and themobile telecommunication network 6.

The mobile phone 9 and the mobile phone 10 are provided with: a wirelesscommunication unit for communicating with base stations (not shown) ofthe mobile packet communication network 5 and the mobiletelecommunication network 6; an audio input-output unit for voicecommunications; a display unit, which is provided with a liquid crystaldisplay and so on, for displaying texts and pictures in its display; amanipulation unit, which is provided with a ten key pad and so on, for auser to provide the mobile phone his/her instructions; and amicrocomputer for controlling the other components of the mobile phone 9and the mobile phone 10. The microcomputer has a memory which stores abrowser program for sending and receiving text data, picture data, audiodata, etc. and for displaying these data in the display unit. Themicrocomputer follows instructions of the browser program and receivesinformation such as screen data of Home Pages etc. from a contentsserver (not shown) connected to the mobile packet communication network5, via the mobile packet communication network 5, in a CHTML (CompactHyper Text Markup Language) format, and displays the receivedinformation on its display unit. The microcomputer also followsinstructions of the browser program and sends information correspondingto a user's instructions to the contents server, via the mobile packetcommunication network 5.

In the mediation consultancy service in the present invention,consultancy services on all matters, which are provided to questionersby answerers using mobile phones 9 and mobile phones 10, are mediated.Hereafter, for the sake of description, mobile phones 9 will be supposedto be owned by answerers and mobile phones 10 will be supposed to beowned by questioners.

B. The Mediation Center Apparatus

A configuration of a mediation center apparatus 1 will be explainedbelow by referring to FIG. 1. The mediation center apparatus 1 isprovided with a registration/inquiry unit 2, a retrieval process unit 3,a telephone circuit connection unit 4, an evaluation/billing unit 7, andan answerer database unit 8, in addition to a communication unit (notshown) for communicating with the mobile packet communication network 5and the mobile telecommunication network 6, and a display unit (notshown) and a manipulation unit (not shown) which are used byadministrators to manage the mediation center apparatus 1. The mediationcenter apparatus 1 is also provided with a microcomputer (not shown),and the microcomputer has a memory for storing programs which providethe microcomputer with instructions for all control operations. Thememory of the microcomputer is also used to temporarily store data ofother components of the mediation center apparatus 1.

The registration/inquiry unit 2, after it receives an answererregistration request from a mobile phone 9 owned by an answerer via themobile packet communication network 5, enables the display unit of themobile phone 9 to display dialogue screens for answerer registration bysending necessary data in CHTML format to the mobile phone 9 via themobile packet communication network 5, and requests an owner of themobile phone 9 to input data required for answerer registration. Also,the registration/inquiry unit 2, after it receives data required foranswerer registration from the mobile phone 9 via the mobile packetcommunication network 5, writes the received data in a new record of theanswerer database unit 8 (hereafter, this operation will be referred toas “registration”), and enables the display unit of the mobile phone 9to display a screen to notify completion of registration by sendingnecessary data in CHTML format to the mobile phone 9 via the mobilepacket communication network 5.

In addition to the process described above relating to answererregistration, the registration/inquiry unit 2 can alter and deletecontents already registered in the answerer database unit 8; and it cansend contents already registered in the answerer database unit 8 to amobile phone 9 for the answerer's inquiry. When the registration/inquiryunit 2 carries out these processes for amendment, deletion, and inquiryof registered contents, it also enables the mobile phone 9 to displaydialogue screens by sending necessary data in CHTML format to the mobilephone 9, and performs interactive communications with an owner of themobile phone 9.

In the Mediation Consultancy System of the present invention, an ownerof a mobile phone 9 can notify the mediation center apparatus I whetherthe owner is ready to receive questions. Consequently, a questioner isprevented from calling an answerer when it is not convenient for theanswerer. When the registration/inquiry unit 2 receives informationwhich shows whether an answerer is ready to receive questions, it writesthe information in a record, corresponding to the mobile phone 9, of theanswerer database unit 8. In such a case, the registration/inquiry unit2 also enables the mobile phone 9 to display a dialogue screen whichcontains software buttons corresponding to “possible to receivequestions” and “not possible to receive questions” by sending necessarydata in CHTML format to the mobile phone 9. Consequently, the owner ofthe mobile phone 9 can send to the registration/inquiry unit 2information which shows whether s/he is ready to receive questions.Regarding this process, instead of using software buttons mentionedabove, certain keys in the manipulation unit of the mobile phone 9 canbe assigned to send information indicating whether an answerer is readyto receive questions.

The retrieval process unit 3, after it receives a request for a servicefor a questioner in Mediation Consultancy System in the presentinvention, from a mobile phone 10, which is owned by a questioner, viathe mobile packet communication network 5, extracts, from the answererdatabase unit 8, information relating to answerers or answerer groupswho can match the request, and provides the mobile phone 10 with aresult of the extraction. More concretely, after the retrieval processunit 3 receives a request for a service from the mobile phone 10, itrequests the owner of the mobile phone 10 to input extraction conditioninformation which is required for extracting information relating toanswerers, by sending necessary data in CHTML format to the mobile phone10 via the mobile packet communication network 5. The extractioncondition information concerns, for example, field of question, chargerate, reply rate, and so on. When the retrieval process unit 3 receivesextraction condition information from the mobile phone 10, it extracts,from the answerer database unit 8, answerers or answerer groups who canmatch the extraction condition information, and enables the display unitof the mobile phone 10 to display information on the extracted answerersor answerer groups, such as nicknames, charge rates, and reply theirrates, by sending necessary data in CHTML format to the mobile phone 10.At the same time, the retrieval process unit 3 requests the owner of themobile phone 10 to select one or more answerers from the extractedanswerers or answerer groups and to send a result of the selection tothe retrieval process unit 3. When the retrieval process unit 3receives, from the mobile phone 10, the information showing one or moreanswerers whom the owner of the mobile phone 10 selected, it retrievesinformation of the one or more answerers from the answerer database unit8, obtains telephone number information from the retrieved information,and sends the telephone number information to the telephone circuitconnection unit 4.

The telephone circuit connection unit 4 calls a mobile phone 9, which isowned by one of the answerers retrieved by the retrieval process unit 3,and a mobile phone 10, which is owned by the questioner, via basestations, and if both of the mobile phone 9 and the mobile phone 10reply to the call, the telephone circuit connection unit 4 establishes acircuit connection for voice communication between the mobile phone 9and the mobile phone 10. By means of this telephone circuit connection,the owner of the mobile phone 9 and the owner of the mobile phone 10 areenabled have a conversation to exchange questions and answers. Detailsof this circuit connection process will be explained later.

The evaluation/billing unit 7 calculates bills for questioners andrewards for answerers for voice communications between mobile phones 9and mobile phones 10 which are established by the telephone circuitconnection unit 4. While a connection of voice communication circuitbetween a mobile phone 9 and a mobile phone 10 is established, theevaluation/billing unit 7 logs connection time of the voicecommunication circuit between the mobile phone 9 and the mobile phone10. When a voice communication between an answerer and a questioner isterminated and a connection of voice communication circuit between themobile phone 9 and the mobile phone 10 is released, theevaluation/billing unit 7 retrieves, from the answerer database unit 8,a record corresponding to the owner of the mobile phone 9, and from theretrieved record, it obtains information required for calculating abill. Then the evaluation/billing unit 7 calculates a reward for theanswerer, namely the owner of the mobile phone 9, and a bill for thequestioner, namely the owner of the mobile phone 10, on the basis of theinformation which the evaluation/billing unit 7 obtained from the recordand from a connection time which the evaluation/billing unit 7 logged. Amethod for performing these calculations will be described later.

Further, after a connection of a voice communication circuit between themobile phone 9 and the mobile phone 10 is terminated, theevaluation/billing unit 7 sends a voice guidance message to the mobilephone 10, requesting the questioner to input an evaluation on theanswerer. One example of such a voice guidance message is “Now, you arerequested to evaluate the contents of the answers which you have justreceived from the answerer on a scale of from 0 and 9. Please push oneof the ten keys between 0 and 9 according to your evaluation, after youhear a beep. A larger number means a higher evaluation. If you skipinputting your evaluation, 5 will be registered as your evaluation. . .. (beeping sound)”. When the evaluation/billing unit 7 receivesevaluation information responding to the voice guidance from the mobilephone 10 via the mobile telecommunication network 6, it retrieves arecord corresponding to the mobile phone 9 owned by the answerer fromthe answerer database unit 8, and updates information related toevaluation of the answerer in the retrieved record, on the basis of theevaluation information.

The answerer database unit 8 stores various information related toanswerers in relation to telephone numbers of mobile phones which areowned by answerers. FIG. 2 shows a configuration of the answererdatabase unit 8 and examples of information stored in the answererdatabase unit 8. The answerer database unit 8 consists of many records,and each record contains information relating to one registeredanswerer. Each record includes the following fields: Telephone NumberUID, Answerer Name KM, Password CRI, Reply Possibility Flag ACT, AnswerField MAJ, Evaluation Rank RK, Reply Rate RES, Consultation Fee PRI, andReal Consultation Case Number SUM. Explanation of data contained in eachfield of the answerer database unit 8 is given below.

Telephone Number UID contains telephone number information of mobilephones 9 which are owned by answerers. Values in this field are writtenby the registration/inquiry unit 2 when owners of mobile phones 9 seekregistration as answerers.

Answerer Name KM contains name information of owners of mobile phones 9.Values in this field are written by the registration/inquiry unit 2 whenowners of mobile phones 9 request registrations as answerers oramendment of registered information. Values in this field are used toprovide information which is displayed in a display unit of a mobilephone 10 when the retrieval process unit 3 sends information ofextracted answerers to a mobile phone 10 owned by a questioner. Valuesin this field are decided freely by each owner of mobile phone 9, andeach answerer can register either his/her real name or his/her nickname.

Password CRI contains password information of owners of mobile phones 9.Values in this field are written by the registration/inquiry unit 2 whenowners of mobile phones 9 request registration as answerers, oramendment of registered information. When the registration/inquiry unit2 receives a request for amendment, deletion, or inquiry of registeredinformation, which are explained above, password information is used toauthenticate that a sender of the request is an actual owner of a mobilephone 9. For example, if the registration/inquiry unit 2 receives arequest for amendment of registered information from a mobile phonewhose registered telephone number is “09012345678”, first, it causes thedisplay unit of the mobile phone 9 to display a dialogue screen torequest a password input. Next, when the registration/inquiry unit 2receives information input as a password from the mobile phone 9, itretrieves a record whose Telephone Number UID value is “09012345678”from the answerer database unit 8, and obtains a Password CRI value ofthe retrieved record. According to the example shown in FIG. 2, itobtains “0123” as the value. Next, the registration/inquiry unit 2determines whether the received password information and “0123” match,and if they match, the registration/inquiry unit 2 determines that theauthentication is successful. In FIG. 2, 4-digit numbers are used forpasswords, but passwords can be numerical digits, letters, symbols, orcombinations thereof.

Reply Possibility Flag ACT contains information showing whether eachowner of mobile phone 9 is ready to receive questions. Values in thisfield are written by the registration/inquiry unit 2 when an owner of amobile phone 9 sends his/her condition information, namely whether it ispossible to receive questions, and the registration/inquiry unit 2receives this information. Reply Possibility Flag ACT can contain avalue “0” or “1”, and “0” means that for the owner of the mobile phone 9it is currently unable to receive questions, and “1” means that for theowner of the mobile phone 9 it is now possible to receive questions. Forexample, according to FIG. 2, since Reply Possibility Flag ACT value ofthe record whose Telephone Number UID value is “09012345678” is “1”, theowner of this mobile phone is now ready to receive questions.

Answer Field MAJ contains information of fields where owners of mobilephones 9 can answer as answerers. Values in this field are written bythe registration/inquiry unit 2 when owners of mobile phones 9 seekregistration as answerers or amendments of registered information. Fieldinformation included in this field is used as an extraction conditionwhen the retrieval process unit 3 extracts information of answerers.

Evaluation Rank RK contains mean values of evaluations which were madeby questioners when owners of mobile phones 9 previously provided theirservices as answerers. As explained above, in the mediation consultancyservice in this embodiment, when a voice communication between ananswerer and a questioner is terminated, the evaluation/billing unit 7receives, from the questioner, evaluation information of the answerer.In this embodiment, the evaluation/billing unit 7 receives integersbetween 0 and 9 as evaluation information from questioners, and itconverts the integers into evaluation values in a range of from 1 to 10.Then the evaluation/billing unit 7 retrieves a record corresponding tothe mobile phone 9 of the answerer, reads out Evaluation Rank RK valueand Real Consultation Case Number SUM value of the retrieved record,calculates a new mean evaluation value using the values read out and theevaluation value newly received, and updates the value of this fieldwith the newly calculated mean evaluation value. More concretely, thefollowing calculation is performed:{(Evaluation Rank RK value)*(Real Consultation Case Number SUMvalue)+(new evaluation value)}/{(Real Consultation Case Number SUMvalue)+1}This calculation of mean value is for a mean value of all evaluationvalues obtained in the past, but this value can be a mean of evaluationvalues obtained in a certain period of time in the past, etc.

Reply Rate RES contains information showing at what percentage eachmobile phone 9 replied to connection calls made by the telephone circuitconnection unit 4 responding to connection requests from mobile phones10 owned by questioners. If the telephone circuit connection unit 4tries to connect a voice communication circuit with a mobile phone 9owned by an answerer and fails, it retrieves a record corresponding tothe mobile phone 9, reads out Reply Rate RES value and Real ConsultationCase Number SUM value of the retrieved record, calculates a new replyrate using the following formula, and updates Reply Rate RES value withthe newly calculated value:(Real Consultation Case Number SUM value)/{(Real Consultation CaseNumber Sum value)/(Reply Rate RES value)*100+1}*100On the other hand, if the telephone circuit connection unit 4 tries toconnect a voice communication circuit with a mobile phone 9 owned by ananswerer and succeeds, it retrieves a record corresponding to the mobilephone 9, reads out Reply Rate RES value and Real Consultation CaseNumber SUM value of the retrieved record, calculates a new reply rateusing the following formula, and updates Reply Rate RES value with thenewly calculated value:{(Real Consultation Case Number SUM value)+1}/{(Real Consultation CaseNumber SUM value)/(Reply Rate RES value)*100+1}*100To further explain the formulas above, (Real Consultation Case NumberSUM value) shows a number of replies which the mobile phone 9 made inthe past, and {(Real Consultation Case Number SUM value)/(Reply Rate RESvalue)*100} shows a number of connection trials which the telephonecircuit connection unit 4 made to the mobile phone 9 in the past. Thiscalculation is for a reply rate of the mobile phone 9 regarding allconnection requests in the past, but this value can be a reply rateregarding connection requests in a certain period of time in the past,etc.

Consultation Fee PRI contains information showing a time unit fee ofeach owner of mobile phone 9, which owners of mobile phones 10 need topay as a consultation fee, when the owner of mobile phone 9 answersquestions made by owners of mobile phones 10. In this embodiment, valuescontained by Consultation Fee PRI show fees per minute in yen, and thevalues are calculated and updated by the evaluation/billing unit 7. Itis preferable to adopt a calculation method which produces a largervalue for this field, namely Consultation Fee PRI, when Evaluation RankRK value of the same record is larger. Therefore, in this embodiment,the following formula is adopted:(Consultation Fee PRI value)=(Evaluation Rank RK value)*10However, a formula used by the evaluation/billing unit 7 for calculatinga consultation fee is not limited to the formula above. For example, ifit is considered that answerers whose reply rates for consultationrequests are higher should be treated better, formulas which producelarger values for Consultation Fee PRI when corresponding Reply Rate RESvalues are larger, can be adopted. In such a case, answerers whose replyrates are high are rewarded accordingly, leading to an improvement inthe overall service. Since Evaluation Rank RK values are in a range ofbetween 1 and 10 in this embodiment, Consultation Fee PRI values are ina range of between 10 and 100. Consultation Fee PRI values are updatedby the evaluation/billing unit 7 at the time that it updates EvaluationRank RK values, since, in this embodiment, Consultation Fee PRI valuesare calculated using Evaluation Rank RK values.

When a consultation between an answerer and a questioner is finished anda connection of voice communication between a mobile phone 9 and amobile phone 10 is terminated, the evaluation/billing unit 7 retrieves arecord corresponding to the mobile phone 9 and calculates a fee for themobile phone 10 by multiplying Consultation Fee PRI value of theretrieved record by the figure of connection time in minutes. Hereafter,the fee will be referred to as “consultation fee”.

Further, the evaluation/billing unit 7 calculates rewards for servicesprovided by answerers, which will be paid to owners of mobile phones 9.In this embodiment, the evaluation/billing unit 7 calculates rewards foranswerers using the following formula:(reward)=(consultation fee)*0.9This means that 10 percent of a consultation fee, which is charged toquestioners, is deducted as a commission for mediation by a provider ofthe mediation consultancy service, and 90 percent of the consultationfee is paid to answerers. The formula used for calculating rewards isnot limited to the above formula. Further, conditions, if any, forpaying rewards to answerers, such that, for example, only answererswhose total number of consultation cases is 100 or more can receiverewards, can be adopted. Also, the payment method of rewards toanswerers is not limited to cash payment. For example, rewards can begiven in a form of points, and answerers can exchange their points forgoods. Rewards can also be paid by reducing charges for telephone callsmade on mobile phones 9 owned by answerers.

Real Consultation Case Number SUM contains numbers showing how manytimes each owner of mobile phone 9 provided services as an answerer inthe past. When a voice communication circuit between an answerer and aquestioner is connected, the evaluation/billing unit 7 retrieves arecord corresponding to the mobile phone 9, reads out Real ConsultationCase Number SUM value, and updates Real Consultation Case Number SUMvalue with a value which is calculated by adding 1 to the original RealConsultation Case Number SUM value. In this embodiment, RealConsultation Case Number SUM value shows the number of times serviceswere provided in the past, but this value can be a number of timesservices were provided in a certain period of time in the past, etc.

C. The Operation of Mediation Consultancy System

An explanation of operations of Mediation Consultancy System in thisembodiment is given below.

C-1. The Registration of Answerer

First, an operation performed when an owner of a mobile phone 9registers as an answerer with mediation center apparatus 1 using themobile phone 9 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3shows a flowchart of the operation sequence, and FIG. 4 shows screensdisplayed in the display unit of the mobile phone 9 in the answererregistration step.

The owner of the mobile phone 9 connects the mobile phone 9 to themobile packet communication network 5 by manipulating the ten key pad,etc. in the manipulation unit, and requests the mediation centerapparatus 1 for information for answerer registration via the mobilepacket communication network 5 (Step S10). More concretely, s/he carriesout such an operation by inputting Uniform Resource Locator (URL) foridentifying an address in the communication network where there is dataof screens for answerer registration in CHTML format, in the mobilephone 9, and sending it to the mobile packet communication network 5.

When the mediation center apparatus 1 receives the request forinformation for answerer registration from the mobile phone 9, it sendsdata for answerer registration in CHTML format to the mobile phone 9 viathe mobile packet communication network 5 (Step S20). After the mobilephone 9 receives the information, it is displayed on its screen, whichis shown as T1 in FIG. 4.

Screen T1 shows items such as “1. New Registration”, “2. RegisteredInformation”. “3. Amendment of Information”, “4. Deletion ofRegistration”, and “5. Amendment of Status”, and the owner of the mobilephone 9 can move to an operation step corresponding to each item byinputting a number of the item using the key pad of the manipulationunit. “1. New Registration” is to be selected when an owner of a mobilephone 9 newly registers himself/herself as an answerer. The others areto be selected by an owner of a mobile phone 9 who is alreadyregistered. “2. Registered Information” is to be selected when an ownerof a mobile phone 9 requests present registered information for his/herconfirmation. “3. Amendment of Information” is to be selected when anowner of a mobile phone 9 amends present registered information. “4.Deletion of Registration” is to be selected when an owner of a mobilephone 9 deletes present registered information. “5. Amendment of Status”is to be selected when an owner of a mobile phone 9 changes presentcondition information relating to whether an owner of a mobile phone 9is ready to receive questions.

Here, as an example, an operation performed in a case that an owner of amobile phone 9 selects “1. New Registration” will be explained. If key“1” is pressed by the owner of the mobile phone 9 while screen T1 isdisplayed, the mobile phone 9 sends its information to the mediationcenter apparatus 1 via the mobile packet communication network 5. Whenthe mediation center apparatus 1 receives the information, it sends dataof screens for a new registration menu in CHTML format to the mobilephone 9 via the mobile packet communication network 5. After the mobilephone 9 receives the information, it displays screen T2 shown in FIG. 4as a screen showing a new registration menu in its display unit.

The screen T2 shows many categories of information, such as “1.Literature”, “2. Mathematics”, “3. Science”, and so on. In this example,it also shows “9. Previous Page” and “0. Next Page”, which are used tochange pages, since the menu has many pages. The owner of the mobilephone 9 selects, from these fields, a field in which s/he can provideanswers, and inputs a corresponding number using the key pad in themanipulation unit. When the number is inputted, the mobile phone 9displays a screen showing more detailed fields within the selectedfield. The owner of the mobile phone 9 selects a field and inputs acorresponding number. This operation is repeated until the menu screenshows the owner of the mobile phone 9 selects the most detailed categorywithin a field.

When the owner of the mobile phone 9 selects the most detailed categorywithin a field as explained above, a screen T3 shown in FIG. 4 isdisplayed. The screen T3 shows “Telephone Number” item, “RegistrationName” item, and “Password” item” for inputting a telephone number of themobile phone 9, a name which the owner of the mobile phone 9 wants toregister, and a password, respectively. The screen T3 also shows“Registration” software button for instructing the mobile phone 9 tosend inputted information to the mediation center apparatus 1. When theowner of mobile phone 9, in the screen T3, inputs a telephone number, aregistration name, and a password, and selects “Registration” button andpushes a predetermined key such as an Enter key, the mobile phone 9sends the field information, the telephone number, the registrationname, and the password to the mediation center apparatus 1 via themobile packet communication network 5 as registration requestinformation (Step S30). The field information is a series of numberscorresponding to the fields selected by the owner of the mobile phone 9in the screens shown during the new registration process. The telephonenumber is a number of a mobile phone used by the answerer when s/heanswers questions, and usually it is the telephone number of the mobilephone 9. The registration name is a name to be displayed in a displayunit of a mobile phone of a questioner when the questioner selectsanswerers. The answerer can freely decide the registration name, ands/he can register either his/her real name or his/her nickname. Thepassword is a 4-digit number which is decided by the person whoregisters. In this embodiment, 4-digit numbers are used for passwords,but passwords can also be letters, symbols, or combinations thereof, anda number of digits in a password can be other than 4.

When the wireless communication unit of the mediation center apparatus 1receives the registration request information as explained above, ittransfers the information to the registration/inquiry unit 2 undercontrol of the microcomputer, and the registration/inquiry unit 2determines whether the received registration request informationcontains appropriate information. If information contained in theregistration request information has any problems such as, for example,a number of digits of the received telephone number is not enough, theregistration/inquiry unit 2 sends data of a screen for an input errormessage in CHTML format to the mobile phone 9 via the mobile packetcommunication network 5. The screen has a “Re-registration” softwarebutton and a “Cancel” software button. In a case that the owner of themobile phone 9 selects the “Re-registration” button, the screen T2 isdisplayed again, and the operation in Step S30 as explained above isrepeated. In a case that the owner of the mobile phone 9 selects the“Cancel” button, the new registration operation finishes and a displayof the mobile phone 9 returns to its normal state.

If the received registration request information contains all properinformation, the registration/inquiry unit 2 adds a new record in theanswerer database unit 8, and writes the telephone number, theregistration name, and the password, which are contained in theregistration request information, in Telephone Number UID, Answerer NameKM, and Password CRI of the new record. Also, it converts the fieldinformation contained in the registration request information into acorresponding field name, and writes the converted field name in AnswerField MAJ of the new record (Step S40). After the registration/inquiryunit 2 completes the operation as explained above, it sends data of ascreen for a registration completion notice in CHTML format to themobile phone 9 via the mobile packet communication network 5 (Step S50).

The above operations are performed by the mobile phone 9 and themediation center apparatus 1 when the owner of mobile phone 9 registershimself/herself as an answerer at the mediation center apparatus 1 usingthe mobile phone 9.

C-2. Operations of Mediation

The following operations are performed when a questioner sends a requestto the mediation center apparatus 1 for a mediation service forconsultation using a mobile phone 10 in this embodiment, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 shows a sequence chart of operations performed inthe mobile phone 10, which is owned by the questioner, the mediationcenter apparatus 1, and mobile phones 9 which are owned by answerers.FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C show screens which are displayed in the displayunit of the mobile phone 9. In the following explanation, informationrelating to many answerers has been already registered in the answererdatabase unit 8 by the operations for answerer registration as explainedabove, and the information is current.

When a questioner wants to request a mediation service, the questionerfirst connects his/her mobile phone 10 to the mobile packetcommunication network 5 by manipulating its ten key pad, etc., andrequests the mediation center apparatus 1 to provide data of menuscreens for a mediation via the mobile packet communication network 5(Step S100). More concretely, s/he carries out such an operation byinputting a URL for identifying an address in the communication networkwhere there is data of menu screens for a mediation in CHTML format, inmobile phone 10 and by sending it to the mobile packet communicationnetwork 5.

When the mediation center apparatus 1 receives the request for data ofmenu screens for a mediation from the mobile phone 10, it sends the dataof menu screens for a mediation in CHTML format to the mobile phone 10via the mobile packet communication network 5 (Step S105). When themobile phone 10 receives the data, it displays, in its display unit, ascreen T4 of FIG. 6A as a menu screen for a mediation.

The screen T4 shows many predetermined fields, such as “1. Literature”,“2. Mathematics”, “3. Science”, and so on. Moreover, in this example, italso shows “9. Previous Page” and “0. Next Page” which are used tochange pages since the menu has many pages. The owner of the mobilephone 10 selects, from these fields, a field to which his/her questionbelongs, and inputs a corresponding number using the key pad in themanipulation unit. When the number is inputted, the mobile phone 10displays a screen showing more detailed fields in the selected field.The owner of the mobile phone 10 selects a field in the screen andinputs a corresponding number of the selected field again. Thisoperation is repeated until the menu screens show fields in the mostdetailed category and the owner of the mobile phone 10 selects the mostdetailed category within a field.

When the owner of the mobile phone 10 selects the most detailed categorywithin a field in the menu screens for a mediation as explained above,it displays a screen T5 of FIG. 6A. The screen T5 shows “1. Answerer”,“2. Fee Rate Group”, and “3. Reply Rate Group”, each of whichcorresponds to a way of selecting answerers. “1. Answerer” means a wayof selecting answerers from a list of answerers, “2. Fee Rate Group”means a way of selecting answerers whose consultation fee rates are in acertain range by group, and “3. Reply Rate Group” means a way ofselecting answerers whose reply rates are in a certain range by group.The screen T5 also shows “Your Telephone Number” item for inputting atelephone number of the owner of the mobile phone 10, and “Retrieval”software button for sending inputted information to the mediation centerapparatus 1. When the owner of the mobile phone 10, in the screen T5,inputs a number corresponding to a way of selecting answerers and atelephone number, and selects “Retrieval” button and pushes apredetermined key such as an Enter key, the mobile phone 10 sends thefield information, the number corresponding to a way of selectinganswerers, and the telephone number to the mediation center apparatus 1via the mobile packet communication network 5 as mediation requestinformation (Step S110). The field information is a series of numberscorresponding to the fields selected by the owner of the mobile phone 10in the menu screens for a mediation. The telephone number is a number ofa mobile phone which the questioner uses when s/he asks questions, andusually it is the telephone number of the mobile phone 10.

When the wireless communication unit of the mediation center apparatus 1receives the mediation request information as explained above, ittransfers the information to the retrieval process unit 3 under controlof the microcomputer, and the retrieval process unit 3 checks if thereceived mediation request information contains proper information. Ifinformation contained in the mediation request information has anyproblems such that, for example, a number of digits of the telephonenumber received is not enough, the retrieval process unit 3 sends dataof a screen for an input error message in CHTML format to the mobilephone 10 via the mobile packet communication network 5. The screen has a“Re-registration” software button and a “Cancel” software button. In acase that the owner of the mobile phone 10 selects “Re-registration”button, the screen T4 is displayed again, and the operation in Step S110as explained above is repeated. In a case that the owner of the mobilephone 10 selects the “Cancel” button, the operation of mediation requestis finished and the mobile phone 10 displays a screen of its normalstate.

If the received mediation request information contains all properinformation, the retrieval process unit 3 initially stores the telephonenumber contained in the received mediation request information (referredto as “the questioner telephone number” hereafter) temporarily. Then theretrieval process unit 3 converts the field information contained in themediation request information into a corresponding field name, andextracts, from the answerer database unit 8, records whose Answer FieldMAJ values match the converted field name. Then the retrieval processunit 3 extracts, from the extracted records, records whose ReplyPossibility Flag ACT values are “1”, namely records which are set in acondition of being able to receive questions (Step S115). Then themediation center apparatus 1 and the mobile phone 10 perform thefollowing operations on the basis of the number corresponding to a wayof selecting answerers which is contained in the mediation requestinformation.

In a case that the number corresponding to a way of selecting answerers,which is contained in the mediation request information, is “1”, namely“Answerer” is selected, the retrieval process unit 3 initially sorts allof the records which were extracted at Step S115, as explained above, inthe descending order of their Evaluation Rank RK values, and stores thesorted set of extracted records (hereafter referred to as “the extractedrecords 1”) temporarily. Then the retrieval process unit 3 sends datafor displaying Answerer Name KM values, Evaluation Rank RK values, andConsultation Fee Rate PRI values (see FIG. 2) in a list to the mobilephone 10 in CHTML format via the mobile packet communication network 5(Step S120). When the mobile phone 10 receives the data, it displays ascreen T6 shown in FIG. 6A in its display unit. The screen T6 showsnames, evaluation ranks, and fee rates of answerers whose registeredfields, where they can answer, are the same as the field which the ownerof the mobile phone 10 selected in Step S10 as explained above, in alist in the descending order of evaluation ranks. The evaluation ranksshow evaluations given to each answerer in the past in a figure between1 and 10, and the fee rates show fees per minute in yen charged for avoice communication with each of answerers. Then the owner of the mobilephone 10 selects answerers who s/he wants to answer questions byinputting the corresponding numbers shown in the screen T6. In thisoperation, the owner of the mobile phone 10 can select one or moreanswerers. When the owner of the mobile phone 10 completes thisoperation of selecting answerers and pushes a predetermined key in themanipulation unit such as an Enter key, the mobile phone 10 displays ascreen T8 of FIG. 6B. The screen T8 shows a “Maximum Continuous CallTimes” item and “Call” software button. “Maximum Continuous Call Times”is an item for instructing how many persons at the maximum are to becalled if a trial of connection to a selected answerer fails. After theowner of the mobile phone 10 inputs a number of times desired in“Maximum Continuous Call Times” item, s/he selects “Call” button andpushes a predetermined key in the manipulation unit, such as an Enterkey, and sends appointment information of answerers and the number ofmaximum call times to the retrieval process unit 3 via the mobile packetcommunication network 5 (Step S125). The appointment information is aseries of numbers corresponding to the answerers selected by the ownerof the mobile phone 10. When the retrieval process unit 3 receives theappointment information of answerers and the number of maximum calltimes, it retrieves, from the extracted records 1 stored temporarily inthe preceding operation, records which are appointed by the appointmentinformation, and sends Telephone Number UID values of the retrievedrecords to the telephone circuit connection unit 4 together with thereceived number of maximum call times and the questioner telephonenumbers which were received from the mobile phone 10 and storedtemporarily in Step S110, as explained above. For example, if theappointment information contains “5” and “7”, the retrieval process unit3 sends Telephone Number UID values of the 5th record and 7th record ofthe extracted records 1 to the telephone circuit connection unit 4.

In a case that the number corresponding to a way of selecting answerers,which is contained in the mediation request information, is “2” in StepS115 as explained above, namely “Fee Rate Group” is selected, initiallythe retrieval process unit 3 extracts, from all of the records whichwere extracted at Step S115, records whose Consultation Fee Rate PRIvalues (see FIG. 2) are in a range between 100 and 96, and which arestored in the extracted records as “Group 1” and a number of theextracted records as “Number of Persons 1” temporarily. Similarly, theretrieval process unit 3 extracts, from all of the records which wereextracted at Step S115, records whose Consultation Fee Rate PRI valuesare in a range between 95 and 91, a range between 90 and 86, . . . , arange between 5 and 1, and stores temporarily the extracted records as“Group 2”, “Group 3”, . . . , “Group 20”, respectively, and numbers ofthe extracted records as “Number of Persons 2”, “Number of Persons 3”, .. . , “Number of Persons 20”, respectively. Then the retrieval processunit 3 sends data for displaying the values of “Number of Persons 1”,“Number of Persons 2”, . . . , “Number of Persons 20” in a list to themobile phone 10 in CHTML format via the mobile packet communicationnetwork 5 (Step S120). When the mobile phone 10 receives the data, itdisplays a screen T7 of FIG. 6B in its display unit. The screen T7 showsnumbers of available answerers whose registered fields are the same asthe field which the owner of the mobile phone 10 selected in Step S110,and whose fee rates per minute in yen are in a range between 100 and 96,between 95 and 91, and so on, in a list in descending order ofconsultation fee rates. The owner of the mobile phone 10 selectsanswerers in a group of a fee rate range by inputting the correspondingnumber shown in the screen T7. When the owner of the mobile phone 10inputs a number corresponding to a fee rate range of answerers whichs/he wishes to contact in the screen T7, the mobile phone 10 displays ascreen T8 shown in FIG. 6B. The screen T8 shows “Maximum Continuous CallTimes” item and “Call” software button. After the owner of the mobilephone 10 inputs a number of times desired in “Maximum Continuous CallTimes” item, s/he selects “Call” button and pushes a predetermined keyin the manipulation unit, such as an Enter key, and sends appointmentinformation of answerers and the number of maximum call times to theretrieval process unit 3 via the mobile packet communication network 5(Step S125). The appointment information is a number corresponding tothe selected fee rate range. When the retrieval process unit 3 receivesthe appointment information of answerers and the number of maximum calltimes, it reads out a group of records appointed by the appointmentinformation from the groups stored temporarily in the precedingoperation such as “Group 1”, “Group 2”, and so on. For example, if theappointment information contains “3”, the retrieval process unit 3 readsout “Group 3”. Then the retrieval process unit 3 sends Telephone NumberUID values of all of the records in the group read out to the telephonecircuit connection unit 4 together with the received number of maximumcall times and the questioner telephone number which were received fromthe mobile phone 10 and stored temporarily in Step S110 as explainedabove.

In a case that the number corresponding to a way of selecting answerers,which is contained in the mediation request information, is “3” in StepS15 as explained above, namely “Reply Rate Group” is selected, theretrieval process unit 3 initially extracts, from all of the recordswhich were extracted at Step S115, records whose Reply Rate RES values(see FIG. 2) are in a range between 100 and 96, and stored temporarilyin the extracted records as “Group 1” and a number of the extractedrecords as “Number of Persons 1”. Similarly, the retrieval process unit3 extracts, from all of the records which were extracted at Step S115,records whose Reply Rate RES values are in a range between 95 and 91, arange between 90 and 86, . . . , a range between 5 and 1, and storestemporarily the extracted records as “Group 2”, “Group 3”, . . . ,“Group 20”, respectively, and numbers of the extracted records as“Number of Persons 2”, “Number of Persons 3”, . . . , “Number of Persons20”, respectively. Then the retrieval process unit 3 sends data fordisplaying the values of “Number of Persons 1”, “Number of Persons 2”, .. . , “Number of Persons 20” in a list to the mobile phone 10 in CHTMLformat via the mobile packet communication network s (Step S120). Whenthe mobile phone 10 receives the data, it displays a screen T9 in itsdisplay unit shown in FIG. 6B. The screen T9 shows numbers of answererswhose registered fields, where they can answer, are the same as thefield which the owner of the mobile phone 10 selected in Step S110, andwhose percentage reply rates are in a range between 100 and 96, between95 and 91, and so on, in a list in the descending order of reply rates.The owner of the mobile phone 10 selects answerers in which the group ofreply rate range inputting corresponding number is shown in the screenT9. When the owner of the mobile phone 10 inputs a number correspondingto a reply rate range of answerers which s/he wishes to contact in thescreen T9, the mobile phone 10 displays a screen T8 shown in FIG. 6B.The screen T8 shows “Maximum Continuous Call Times” item and “Call”software button. After the owner of the mobile phone 10 inputs a numberof times desired in “Maximum Continuous Call Times” item, s/he selects“Call” button and pushes a predetermined key in the manipulation unit,such as an Enter key, and sends appointment information of answerers andthe number of maximum call times to the retrieval process unit 3 via themobile packet communication network 5 (Step S125). The appointmentinformation is a number corresponding to the selected reply rate range.When the retrieval process unit 3 receives the appointment informationof answerers and the number of maximum call times, it reads out a groupof records appointed by the appointment information from the groupsstored temporarily in the preceding operation such as “Group 1”, “Group2”, and so on. For example, if the appointment information contains “3”,the retrieval process unit 3 reads out “Group 3”. Then the retrievalprocess unit 3 sends Telephone Number UID values of all of the recordsin the group read out to the telephone circuit connection unit 4together with the received number of maximum call times and thequestioner telephone number which were received from the mobile phone 10and stored temporarily in Step S110 explained above.

When the retrieval process unit 3 sends Telephone Number UID values(referred to as “the answerer telephone number list” hereafter), thenumber of maximum call times (hereafter referred to as “the maximum calltimes”), and the questioner telephone number to the telephone circuitconnection unit 4, as explained above, and the telephone circuitconnection unit 4 receives the information, the telephone circuitconnection unit 4 stores the received information temporarily and startsa telephone circuit connection step (Step S200). Operations of thetelephone circuit connection unit 4 in the telephone circuit connectionstep are explained in the below with reference to flowcharts in FIGS. 7and 8.

First, the telephone circuit connection unit 4 causes the mobile phone10 to display a screen T10 shown in FIG. 6C by sending the necessarydata in CHTML format to mobile phone 10 via the mobile packetcommunication network 5 (Step S205). Then the telephone circuitconnection unit 4 creates a call counter in a temporary storage area forcounting call times, and sets “1” in the call counter (Step S210). Avalue of the call counter is updated according to subsequent operations.

Next, the telephone circuit connection unit 4 judges whether a value ofthe call counter is the same as or smaller than both of the maximum calltimes and judges a number of telephone numbers in the answerer telephonenumber list (Step S215).

In a case that the telephone circuit connection unit 4 judges that thevalue of the call counter is the same as or smaller than both of themaximum call times, and judges the number of telephone numbers in theanswerer telephone number list, first, it counts the same value of thecall counter from the top of the answerer telephone number list, andreads out a telephone number. Namely, for example, if the value of thecall counter is “3”, the telephone circuit connection unit 4 reads outthe third telephone number in the answerer telephone number list (StepS220). Then the telephone circuit connection unit 4 calls a mobile phone9 whose telephone number was read out via the mobile telecommunicationnetwork 6 (Step S225). After the telephone circuit connection unit 4sends a call on the basis of the read telephone number, it judgeswhether the target mobile phone 9 responded to the call in apredetermined period of time (Step S230). In a case that the telephonecircuit connection unit 4 judges that the target mobile phone 9responded to the call in the predetermined period of time, it moves toStep S240 as explained below. On the other hand, in a case that thetelephone circuit connection unit 4 judges that the target mobile phone9 did not respond to the call in the predetermined period of time, itcancels the call to the mobile phone 9, reads a value of the callcounter, and updates a value of the call counter with a number which iscalculated by adding “1” to the original value of the call counter (StepS235). Then the telephone circuit connection unit 4 retrieves, from theanswerer database unit 8, a record whose Telephone Number UID value isthe same as the telephone number of the mobile phone 9 to which thetelephone circuit connection unit 4 sent a call in Step S225, andupdates Reply Rate RES value of the retrieved record. Then it moves toStep S215 to try to call the next answerer candidate.

In a case that the target mobile phone 9 responds to the call in thepredetermined period of time in Step S230, the telephone circuitconnection unit 4 sends an automatic voice guidance to the mobile phone9 which responded to the call, which indicates that a questioner wantsto talk to the owner of the mobile phone 9, and requests him/her torespond if s/he can reply the questioner by pushing a predetermined key(Step S240). One example of such a voice guidance message is “Now, youhave a request from a questioner. If you cannot reply to it, please pushkey “1”. If you stand by without pushing anything, your telephone willbe connected to the questioner.” In the following explanation, if ananswerer pushes “1”, it means s/he replies, and otherwise, it means s/hedoes not reply.

Next, the telephone circuit connection unit 4 judges whether key “1” ofthe target mobile phone 9 was pushed in a predetermined period of time(Step S245). In a case that it judges that key “1” of the target mobilephone 9 was pushed in the predetermined period of time in Step S245,since an answerer who owns the target mobile phone 9 declined to replyintentionally, the telephone circuit connection unit 4 disconnects thetelephone circuit with the mobile phone 9 via the mobiletelecommunication network 6 (Step S255), and obtains a value of the callcounter and updates a value of the call counter with a number which iscalculated by adding “1” to the original value of the call counter (StepS260). Then the telephone circuit connection unit 4 retrieves, from theanswerer database unit 8, a record whose Telephone Number UID value isthe same as the telephone number of the mobile phone 9 whose telephonecircuit was disconnected in Step S255, and updates Reply Rate RES valueof the retrieved record. Then the telephone circuit connection unit 4moves to Step S215 to try to call the next answerer candidate.

On the other hand, in a case that the telephone circuit connection unit4 judges that key “1” of the target mobile phone 9 was not pushed in thepredetermined period of time in Step S245, since an answerer who ownsthe target mobile phone 9 did not decline to reply, the telephonecircuit connection unit 4 holds the voice communication circuitconnection with the mobile phone 9 via the mobile telecommunicationnetwork 6 (Step S250), and calls the mobile phone 10, whose telephonenumber is the questioner telephone number which was received from theretrieval process unit 3, via the mobile packet communication network 5(Step S270). Then the telephone circuit connection unit 4 judges whetherthe mobile phone 10 responded to the call in a predetermined period oftime (Step S275).

In a case that the telephone circuit connection unit 4 judges that themobile phone 10 did not respond to the call in the predetermined periodof time in Step S275, since it failed to establish a voice communicationcircuit connection with the mobile phone 10 of the questioner, it sendsa message of apology as an automatic voice guidance message to themobile phone 9 of the answerer which is held after Step S250 (StepS280), and disconnects the voice communication circuit with the mobilephone 9 which is held (Step S285), and finishes the telephone circuitconnection step. One example of such a message of apology is “We expressour apology that we failed to call the questioner. After this messageends, the line will be disconnected automatically.”

On the other hand, in a case that the telephone circuit connection unit4 judges that the mobile phone 10 responded to the call in thepredetermined period of time in Step S275, since it succeeded inestablishing a telecommunication circuit connection with the mobilephone 10 of the questioner, it brings to notice of the mobile phone 10of the questioner that it succeeded in connecting to an answerer by anautomatic voice guidance message (Step S290). One example of such amessage is “We succeeded in connecting to an answerer. Please hold theline.”

After the telephone circuit connection unit 4 sends an automatic voiceguidance message in Step S290, it interconnects the established voicecommunication circuit connection with the mobile phone 10 of thequestioner and the voice communication circuit connection with themobile phone 9 of the answerer held after Step S250. Consequently avoice communication circuit connection between the mobile phone 10 ofthe questioner and the mobile phone 9 of the answerer via the mobiletelecommunication network 6 is established, and the questioner and theanswerer are enabled to have a conversation (Step S295). Then thetelephone circuit connection unit 4, from the answerer database unit 8,retrieves a record whose Telephone Number UID value is the same as thetelephone number of the mobile phone 9 with which the telephone circuitconnection unit 4 established a voice communication circuit connectionin Step S295, and updates Reply Rate RES value of the retrieved record.Moreover, the telephone circuit connection unit 4 sends information ofthe telephone number of the mobile phone 9 of the answerer, with whichit established a voice communication circuit connection in Step S295,and the telephone number of the mobile phone 10 of the questioner, tothe evaluation/billing unit 7. When the evaluation/billing unit 7receives the information of the telephone numbers, it stores theinformation temporarily, and starts to log the connection time.

On the other hand, in Step S215, in a case that the telephone circuitconnection unit 4 judges that the value of the call counter is largerthan the maximum call times or more than the number of telephone numbersin the answerer telephone number list, it causes the display unit of themobile phone 10 of the questioner to display a screen T11 shown in FIG.6C, which notifies a failure of call by sending necessary data in CHTMLformat to mobile phone 10 via the mobile packet communication network 5(Step S265), since the telephone circuit connection unit 4 has alreadytried to call the maximum number of continuous call times given by thequestioner, or it has already tried to call all answerer candidatesselected by the questioner, but there has been no positive reply fromthem. Then the telephone circuit connection unit 4 finishes thetelephone circuit connection step. The screen T11 shows “1. Re-input ofRetrieval Condition” and “2. Repeat from the Beginning”, and if theowner of the mobile phone 10 pushes key “1”, the telephone circuitconnection unit 4 moves to Step S110 as explained above, and if theowner of the mobile phone 10 pushes key “2”, the telephone circuitconnection unit 4 moves to Step S100 as explained above.

With reference to FIG. 5 explanations given here are operationsperformed by the mobile phone 10, the mediation center apparatus 1, andthe mobile phone 9, after a telephone circuit connection step issuccessful in Step S295 in FIG. 8 as explained above, and a voicecommunication circuit connection between the mobile phone 10 of thequestioner and the mobile phone 9 of the answerer is established. Afterthe voice communication circuit connection between the mobile phone 10and the mobile phone 9 is established (Step S130), the questioner andthe answerer exchange questions and answers directly by voicecommunication. When the voice communication is finished and the owner ofthe mobile phone 9 or the owner of the mobile phone 10 gives aninstruction to terminate the voice communication circuit connection(Step S135), the telephone circuit connection unit 4 releases theconnection of the mobile phone 9 of the answerer to the mobiletelecommunication network 6, and at the same time, it establishes avoice communication circuit connection between the mobile phone 10 andthe mediation center apparatus 1 by switching the connection of themobile phone 10 in the mobile telecommunication network 6 to themediation center apparatus 1.

When the telephone circuit connection unit 4 establishes the voicecommunication circuit connection between the mediation center apparatus1 and the mobile phone 10 as explained above, the evaluation/billingunit 7 stops counting the connection time which it continued and storesthe result of the counting temporarily, and at the same time, it sendsan automatic voice guidance message which requests for an evaluationinput relating to the answerer (Step S140). One example of such amessage is “Now, you are requested to evaluate the contents of theanswers which you have just received from the answerer in 10 stepsbetween 0 and 9. Please push one of the ten keys between 0 and 9according to your evaluation after you hear a beep. A larger numbermeans a higher evaluation. If you skip inputting your evaluation, 5 willbe registered as your evaluation. . . . (beeping sound)”.

If the questioner pushes a key in the manipulation unit of the mobilephone 10 responding to the automatic voice guidance, a tone signalcorresponding to the pushed key is sent from the mobile phone 10 to theevaluation/billing unit 7 via the mobile telecommunication network 6(Step S145). When the evaluation/billing unit 7 receives the tonesignal, it stores an evaluation value corresponding to the tone signaltemporarily. If the evaluation/billing unit 7 does not receive any validtone signal in a predetermined period of time, it stores the defaultvalue “6” temporarily as an evaluation value since key “5” correspondsto evaluation value “6” as explained previously. Next, theevaluation/billing unit 7 sends an automatic voice message of operationcompletion to the mobile phone 10 of the questioner (Step S150), andsends a disconnection request of the voice communication circuitconnection to the telephone circuit connection unit 4. When thetelephone circuit connection unit 4 receives the disconnection requestof the voice communication circuit connection, it disconnects the voicecommunication circuit connection between the mobile phone 10 and themediation center apparatus 1 (Step S155).

After Step S155, the evaluation/billing unit 7 retrieves, from theanswerer database unit 8, a record whose Telephone Number UID value isthe same as the telephone number of the mobile phone 9 of the answerer,which it received from the telephone circuit connection unit 4 in thepreceding step, and calculates an amount to be charged to the mobilephone 10 of the questioner and a reward to the user of the mobile phone9 using Consultation Fee Rate PRI value of the retrieved record and theresult of the counting of connect time stored temporarily in thepreceding step (Step S160). Information of the bill and the rewardcalculated here will be sent to a server system (not shown) whichmanages requests and payment of bills, and handles them together withother telephone bills. Then the evaluation/billing unit 7 calculates anew evaluation rank, a new consultation fee rate, and a new realconsultation case number using the evaluation value stored temporarilyin the preceding step, Evaluation Rank RK value of the retrieved record,and Real Consultation Case Number SUM value of the retrieved record, andupdates Evaluation Rank RK value, Consultation Fee Rate PRI value, andReal Consultation Case Number SUM value of the retrieved record with thecalculated values, respectively (Step S165).

These are the operations performed by the Mediation Consultancy Systemwhen a questioner requests the mediation center apparatus 1 to provide amediation service for consultation using a mobile phone 10.

D. Advantages of This Embodiment

According to this embodiment, a questioner can obtain information ofanswerers who can answer questions of the questioner from among a lot ofinformation of answerers who are registered with the mediation centerapparatus, just by sending information of a field to which his/herquestions belong to the mobile telecommunication network using his/hermobile phone. Moreover, the questioner can perform voice communicationswith his/her desired answerers just by selecting them on the basis ofthe received information of answerers and sending the result of theselection to the mobile telecommunication network using his/her mobilephone. Consequently, the questioner can receive answers for his/herquestions by simple operations.

In this embodiment, a questioner can appoint many answerers by personand by group, and in a case that one of the appointed answerers cannotreply, an attempt will be made to automatically establish a voicecommunication connection with another answerer among the appointedanswerers, and the attempt will be repeated. Therefore, the questionerhas a high possibility of establishing voice communications with ananswerer in a single operation.

Because the mediation consultancy service realized in this embodimentuses mobile phones, a questioner can obtain answers for his/herquestions anywhere; even while s/he is walking.

In this embodiment, operations such as an input of field of questionsare carried out in dialogue screens made by data in CHTML format usingthe mobile packet communication network. Therefore, a user can inputrequired data, such as figures, on a screen of their mobile phone, andoperations are easy to perform.

In this embodiment, consultation between a questioner and an answerer isperformed by voice communications using the mobile telecommunicationnetwork. Therefore, both the questioner and answerer can communicateeven nuances of their ideas, which are difficult to communicate quicklyin other ways, such as by e-mail.

In this embodiment, there is no need for a questioner to registerhimself/herself in advance. Therefore, a questioner can make use of themediation consultancy service realized by this embodiment without anycomplications.

In this embodiment, an answerer can obtain requests of consultation fromquestioners just by following a simple registration procedure usinghis/her mobile phone, and can not only utilize his/her knowledge andexperiences but also can expect to receive rewards for his/her servicesas an answerer. Moreover, since mobile phones are used in the mediationconsultancy system of this embodiment, an answerer can registerhimself/herself anytime and anywhere as an answerer and provide his/herservices as an answerer.

In this embodiment, the mediation center apparatus calls a mobile phoneof a questioner and a mobile phone of an answerer first, and then itconnects their lines. Therefore, it can realize direct voicecommunication without revealing personal information of the questionerand the answerer, such as their telephone numbers. Consequently, boththe questioner and the answerer can make use of the service while beingsure of their privacy and security.

In this embodiment, there is no complication of fee negotiation becausea consultation fee rate of each answerer is offered to a questioner inadvance, and the questioner can select answerers by referring to theirconsultation fee rate. Consequently, both answerers and questioners canmake use of the service without hesitation.

In this embodiment, ensuring the quality offered by answerers isimportant since the answerers have registered on their own. In themediation consultancy system of this embodiment, however, there is asystem by which questioners evaluate the answerers, consultation feerates are calculated on the basis of the evaluation, and rewardsaccording to the calculated consultation fee rates are paid to theanswerers. Therefore, the answerers have an incentive to improve theirservices, and answerers of low quality are dismissed automatically andonly qualified answerers can remain. Consequently, undesirablesituations such as payment of high consultation fees for low qualityservices can be prevented.

E. Variations

In addition to the embodiment explained above, the present invention isopen to a variety of modifications in the scope of conception of theinvention. The following are some such modifications.

<Modification 1>

In the embodiment explained above, consultation fee rates are calculatedaccording to evaluation ranks recorded in the answerer database unit,but only in the case that an answerer wishes to offer a lowerconsultation fee rate than the consultation fee rate calculated by thedefault method, the answerer may set his/her proposed rate as his/herown consultation fee rate.

<Modification 2>

In the embodiment explained above, when an answerer notifies themediation center apparatus of his/her status whether s/he can acceptquestions, some charge for using the mobile packet communication networkis incurred, since the answerer responds by using keys or softwarebuttons. However, an answerer may notify the mediation center apparatusof his/her status whether s/he can accept questions without any chargeby use of a function of dialing a predetermined phone number which themobile phone of the answerer has. More concretely, on the side of themediation center apparatus, two telephone numbers for exclusive use areprepared, one of which is used to change Reply Possibility Flag ACTvalues of the answerer database unit into a status that it is possibleto accept questions, and the other of which is used to change ReplyPossibility Flag ACT values of the answerer database unit into a statusthat it is not possible to accept questions. Apparatus connected tothese telephone numbers is set to receive only notification of dialing aphone number. Consequently, an answerer can notify his/her phone numberto the apparatus only by calling the telephone numbers for exclusiveuse, and the apparatus can change Reply Possibility Flag ACT values ofthe answerer database unit, but no charge is incurred.

Moreover, the system may be configured to have a function that ananswerer can register in advance the time when s/he can acceptquestions, when s/he registers himself/herself as an answerer or s/hechanges his/her registered contents. By such a function, it becomesunnecessary for the answerer to frequently notify the mediation centerapparatus of his/her status as to whether s/he can accept questions, andthe system becomes more convenient.

1. A mediation apparatus comprising: registration request receivingmeans for receiving a registration request which contains telephonenumber data and answer field data from each of a plurality of mobilephones of answerer candidates via a mobile telecommunication network;candidate data storing means for storing candidate data sets, each ofwhich contains telephone number data and answer field data which arecontained in a registration request received by said registrationrequest receiving means; mediation request receiving means for receivinga mediation request, which contains telephone number data and questionfield data, from each of a plurality of mobile phones of questioners viasaid mobile telecommunication network; extracting means for extracting,when said mediation request receiving means receives one mediationrequest from one mobile phone of one questioner, one or more candidatedata sets which contain answer field data corresponding to questionfield data which is contained in said one mediation request, fromcandidate data sets stored by said candidate data storing means;acquiring means for acquiring telephone number data of one mobile phoneof one answerer from candidate data sets which are extracted by saidextracting means; connection establishing means for establishing acommunication circuit connection in said mobile telecommunicationnetwork between said one mobile phone of said one answerer and said onemobile phone of said one questioner, on the basis of said telephonenumber data acquired by said acquiring means and said telephone numberdata contained in said one mediation request; evaluation data receivingmeans for receiving evaluation data, which indicates evaluation of saidone answerer, from said one mobile phone of said one questioner via saidmobile telecommunication network; evaluation index storing means forstoring an evaluation index, which is made on the basis of saidevaluation data which indicates evaluation of said one answerer, linkedto a candidate data set corresponding to said one answerer which isstored by said candidate data storing means; and, calculating means forcalculating at least one of (a) reward for said one answerer and (b)bill for said one questioner, with regard to a communication using saidcommunication circuit connection, on the basis of an evaluation indexwhich is stored by said evaluation index storing means linked to thecandidate data set corresponding to said one answerer.
 2. A mediationapparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said calculating meanscalculates at least one of (a) reward for said one answerer and (b) billfor said one questioner, on the basis of an evaluation index which isstored by said evaluation index storing means before said evaluationdata receiving means receives said evaluation data from said one mobilephone of said one questioner.
 3. A mediation apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein said acquiring means comprises: answerer candidateguide data transmitting means for transmitting answerer candidate guidedata, which indicates candidate data sets which are extracted by saidextracting means, to said one mobile phone of said one questioner, viasaid mobile telecommunication network; answerer candidate appointmentdata receiving means for receiving answerer candidate appointment datawhich appoints one or more desired candidate data sets among candidatedata sets which are indicated by said answerer candidate guide data,from said one mobile phone of said one questioner via said mobiletelecommunication network; and, telephone number acquiring means foracquiring telephone number data of one mobile phone of one answerer fromone candidate data set among candidate data sets which are appointed bysaid answerer candidate appointment data.
 4. A mediation apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said acquiring means comprises: conditiondata receiving means for receiving, when said extracting means extractsa plurality of candidate data sets from candidate data sets stored bysaid candidate data storing means, condition data which indicate acondition for grouping the plurality of candidate data sets extracted bysaid extracting means into a plurality of groups, from said one mobilephone of said one questioner, via said mobile telecommunication network;grouping means for grouping the plurality of candidate data setsextracted by said extracting means into a plurality of groups on thebasis of said condition data; answerer candidate group guide datatransmitting means for transmitting answerer candidate group guide data,which indicates groups which are made by said grouping means, to saidone mobile phone of said one questioner, via said mobiletelecommunication network; answerer candidate group appointment datareceiving means for receiving answerer candidate group appointment data,which appoints one or more desired groups from among groups which areindicated by said answerer candidate group guide data, from said onemobile phone of said one questioner, via said mobile telecommunicationnetwork; and, telephone number acquiring means for acquiring telephonenumber data of one mobile phone of one answerer from one candidate dataset among candidate data sets which are contained in groups appointed bysaid answerer candidate group appointment data.
 5. A mediation apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said connection establishing meanscomprises: first connecting means for establishing a communicationcircuit connection in said mobile telecommunication network with saidone mobile phone of said one answerer by sending a call to said onemobile phone of said one answerer on the basis of the telephone numberdata acquired by said acquiring means; second connecting means forestablishing a communication circuit connection in said mobiletelecommunication network with said one mobile phone of said onequestioner by sending a call to said one mobile phone of said onequestioner on the basis of the telephone number data contained in saidone mediation request; and, third connecting means for interconnectingthe communication circuit connection established by said firstconnecting means and the communication circuit connection established bysaid second connecting means.
 6. A mediation apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein: said acquiring means acquires, when said extractingmeans extracts a plurality of candidate data sets and said connectionestablishing means fails to establish said communication circuitconnection, telephone number data of another mobile phone of anotheranswerer from the plurality of candidate data sets which is extracted bysaid extracting means; and, said connection establishing meansestablishes, when said acquiring means acquires said telephone numberdata of said another mobile phone of said another answerer, acommunication circuit connection in said mobile telecommunicationnetwork between said another mobile phone of said another answerer andsaid one mobile phone of said one questioner, on the basis of saidtelephone number data of said another mobile phone of said anotheranswerer and said telephone number data contained in said one mediationrequest.
 7. A mediation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a partor whole of said mobile telecommunication network is a packet datacommunication network.
 8. A mediation apparatus according to claim 1,wherein: said mediation apparatus further comprises time measuring meansfor measuring time period during which said communication circuitconnection is maintained; and, said calculating means calculates atleast one of (a) reward for said one answerer and (b) bill for said onequestioner, with regard to a communication using said communicationcircuit connection, on the basis of said time period, in addition to anevaluation index which is stored by said evaluation index storing meanslinked to the candidate data set corresponding to said one answerer. 9.A mediation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said mediationapparatus further comprises reply index storing means for storing areply index which is made on the basis of, at least one of (a) number oftimes of failures of communication circuit connections between said onemobile phone of said one answerer and any mobile phone of any questionerand (b) number of times of successes of communication circuitconnections between said one mobile phone of said one answerer and anymobile phone of any questioner, during a certain period of time in thepast, linked to the candidate data set corresponding to said oneanswerer which is stored by said candidate data storing means; and, saidcalculating means calculates at least one of (a) reward for said oneanswerer and (b) bill for said one questioner, with regard to acommunication using said communication circuit connection, on the basisof a reply index which is stored by said reply index storing meanslinked to the candidate data set corresponding to said one answerer, inaddition to an evaluation index which is stored by said evaluation indexstoring means linked to the candidate data set corresponding to said oneanswerer.
 10. A mediation method comprising: a registration requesttransmitting step for transmitting a registration request, whichcontains telephone number data and answer field data, from each of aplurality of mobile phones of answerer candidates to a mediationapparatus via a mobile telecommunication network; a candidate datastoring step for storing candidate data sets, each of which containstelephone number data and answer field data which are contained in aregistration request transmitted in said registration requesttransmitting step; a mediation request transmitting step fortransmitting a mediation request, which contains telephone number dataand question field data, from each of a plurality of mobile phones ofquestioners to said mediation apparatus via said mobiletelecommunication network; an extracting step for extracting, when onemediation request is transmitted from one mobile phone of one questionerto said mediation apparatus, one or more candidate data sets whichcontain answer field data corresponding to question field data which iscontained in said one mediation request, from candidate data sets storedin said candidate data storing step; an acquiring step for acquiringtelephone number data of one mobile phone of one answerer from candidatedata sets which are extracted in said extracting step; a connectionestablishing step for establishing a communication circuit connection insaid mobile telecommunication network between said one mobile phone ofsaid one answerer and said one mobile phone of said one questioner, onthe basis of said telephone number data acquired in said acquiring stepand said telephone number data contained in said one mediation request;an evaluation data transmitting step for transmitting evaluation data,which indicates evaluation of said one answerer, from said one mobilephone of said one questioner to said mediation apparatus via said mobiletelecommunication network; an evaluation index storing step for storingan evaluation index, which is made on the basis of said evaluation datawhich indicates evaluation of said one answerer, linked to a candidatedata set corresponding to said one answerer which is stored in saidcandidate data storing step; and, a calculating step for calculating atleast one of (a) reward for said one answerer and (b) bill for said onequestioner, with regard to a communication using said communicationcircuit connection, on the basis of an evaluation index which is storedin said evaluation index storing step, linked to the candidate data setcorresponding to said one answerer.